Secure off-chain blockchain transactions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12056694-B2
Application number	US-202318116050-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 1, 2023
Priority date	May 15, 2017
Publication date	Aug 6, 2024
Grant date	Aug 6, 2024

Abstract

Provided herein is a computer-implemented method, a system, and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. The system may be implemented using a blockchain network. The computer-implemented method includes: i) attaching a digital asset of a first entity to an exchange platform; ii) computing a first shared key associated with the digital asset using a key of the first entity and a first key of the exchange platform; iii) generating and broadcasting a first blockchain transaction to a blockchain network; and iv) initiating, by the first entity, transfer of ownership of the digital asset from a first entity to a second entity; v) computing a second key and a second shared key; vi) replacing the first key associated with the exchange platform with the second key associated with the exchange platform; and vii) detaching, by the second entity, the deposit from the exchange platform using the second shared key.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method for performing an off-chain transaction comprising:
attaching, by a first entity, a digital asset to an exchange platform;
computing a first shared key using a key associated with the first entity and a first key associated with the exchange platform;
causing a first blockchain transaction to be recorded to a blockchain by at least:
generating the first blockchain transaction to be unlockable by any computer system having access to the first shared key, wherein the first blockchain transaction pays out from the digital asset; and
broadcasting the first blockchain transaction to a blockchain network;

initiating, by the first entity, transfer of ownership of the digital asset attached to the exchange platform from the first entity to a second entity;
computing a second key associated with the exchange platform using a key associated with a second entity;
computing a second shared key using the key associated with the second entity and the second key associated with the exchange platform, wherein the second shared key is equal to the first shared key;
replacing the first key associated with the exchange platform with the second key associated with the exchange platform; and
detaching, by the second entity, a deposit from the exchange platform using the second shared key if it is determined that the second entity is a current owner of the digital asset.

2. A computer-implemented method according to claim 1 , wherein
to determine if the second entity is the current owner of the digital asset the key associated with the second entity is combined with a current key associated with the exchange platform to calculate a shared key, wherein if the shared key is equal to the second shared key then the second entity is the current owner of the digital asset.

3. A computer-implemented method according to claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
generating a first refund transaction payable to the first entity using a first refund key; and
broadcasting the first refund transaction to the blockchain network after a first time period.

4. A computer-implemented method according to claim 3 , wherein the first refund transaction is cooperatively signed by the exchange platform and the first entity using a two-party elliptic curve digital signature algorithm.

5. A computer-implemented method according to claim 3 , wherein the method further comprises:
generating a second refund transaction payable to the second entity using a second refund key; and
broadcasting the second refund transaction to the blockchain network after a second time period.

6. A computer-implemented method claimed in claim 5 , wherein the second time period is less than the first time period.

7. A computer-implemented method according to 5 ,
wherein the second refund transaction is cooperatively signed by the exchange platform and the second entity using a two-party elliptic curve digital signature algorithm.

8. A computer-implemented method according to claim 1 , wherein computing the first shared key comprises:
computing a first candidate shared key by at least:
computing a first public key corresponding to the first key associated with the exchange platform using elliptic curve cryptography;
providing the first public key to the first entity; and
computing the first candidate shared key from the first public key and the key associated with the first entity using elliptic curve cryptography; and

computing a second candidate shared key by at least:
computing a second public key corresponding to the key associated with the first entity using elliptic curve cryptography;
providing the second public key to the exchange platform; and
computing the second candidate shared key from the second public key and the first key associated with the exchange platform using elliptic curve cryptography; and

verifying that the first candidate shared key is the same as the second candidate shared key.

9. A computer-implemented method according to claim 1 , wherein the second shared key is computed by at least:
computing a first candidate shared key by at least:
computing a first public key corresponding to the second key associated with the exchange platform using elliptic curve cryptography;
providing the first public key to the second entity; and
computing the first candidate shared key from the first public key and the key associated with the second entity using elliptic curve cryptography;

computing a second candidate shared key by at least:
computing a second public key corresponding to the key associated with the second entity using elliptic curve cryptography;
providing the second public key to the exchange platform; and
computing the second candidate shared key from the second public key and the second key associated with the exchange platform using elliptic curve cryptography; and

verifying that the first candidate shared key is the same as the second candidate shared key.

10. A computer-implemented method according to claim 1 , wherein replacing the first key associated with the exchange platform with the second key of the exchange platform comprises:
multiplying the first key associated with the exchange platform by a random value to produce a blinded first key associated with the exchange platform;
providing the blinded first key associated with the exchange platform to the second entity;
multiplying the blinded first key associated with the exchange platform by a multiplicative inverse of the key associated with the second entity to produce a first intermediary key;
providing the first intermediary key to the first entity;
multiplying the first intermediary key by the key associated with the first entity to produce a second intermediary key;
providing the second intermediary key to the exchange platform; and
multiplying the second intermediary key by a multiplicative inverse of the random value to generate the second key associated with the exchange platform.

11. A computer-implemented method according to claim 1 , wherein replacing the first key associated with the exchange platform with the second key associated with the exchange platform invalidates the first key associated with the exchange platform.

12. A computer-implemented method according to claim 1 , wherein:
the key associated with the first entity is a private key securely maintained by the first entity;
the first key associated with the exchange platform is a private key securely maintained by the exchange platform;
the key associated with the second entity is a private key securely maintained by the second entity; and
the second key associated with the exchange platform is a private key securely maintained by the exchange platform.

13. A computer-implemented method according to claim 1 , wherein the exchange platform includes a trusted execution environment that:
stores the first key associated with the exchange platform;
stores the second key associated with the exchange platform; and
provides a remote attestation that an exchange protocol associated with the exchange platform is being followed by the exchange platform.

14. A system, comprising:
a processor; and
memory including executable instructions that, as a result of execution by the processor, causes the system to perform a computer-implemented method of claim 1 .

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon executable instructions that, as a result of being executed by a processor of a computer system, cause the computer system to at least perform a computer-implemented method

Assignees

• Nchain Licensing Ag

Inventors

• Trevethan Thomas

Classifications

• G06Q20/407

  Cancellation of a transaction · CPC title

• G06Q20/3829 Primary

  involving key management · CPC title

• G06Q40/04 Primary

  Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange · CPC title

• H04L9/50

  using hash chains, e.g. blockchains or hash trees · CPC title

• H04L2209/56

  Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash · CPC title